Buying guide: Nedbank Green Wine Awards

NEDBANK GREEN WINE AWARDS

Judging procedures: Wines entered were divided up into categories according to grape variety or style and tasted blind by the five-person panel, with scoring done according to the 20-point/5 Star system.

 

Given that the line-up was so disparate, the feeling was that it would be best to decide on what to award only after judging was done. Upon completion of a first round of judging, there were three white wines, two reds and one natural sweet considered to have particular distinction and these went through to a second round where the panel could give them more detailed examination. Once this round was completed, Reyneke Woolworths Chenin Blanc 2009 emerged as best white as well as best wine overall; Reyneke Reserve Red 2007 emerged as best red; and Stellar Heaven on Earth Natural Sweet NV as best natural sweet, these results determined by comparing the arithmetic average scores of each of the wines.

Key findings: That a wine is made from organically grown grapes does not attest to its quality or lack thereof. Viticulture and winemaking must still be up to scratch and, as with last year, the quality brackets that emerged more or less corresponded to those of the industry as a whole.

Allan Mullins, Woolworths wine selector and panel member, remarked that the ‘organic’ sub-category wasn’t enjoying better or worse sales across the chain, quality and value for money still being the primary concerns of the customer.

Mullins went on to say that the category which was enjoying “tremendous demand” was wines with no added sulphur, and the issue of sulphur in relation to ‘organic’ wines is indeed pertinent. Sulphur (in the form of sulphur dioxide) is a preservative fulfi lling anti-microbial and anti-oxidant functions in not only wine, but many other food and beverage categories. While some individuals do have very real sulphur allergies or intolerances, there are those who blame sulphur in wine for the negative side-effects caused by its consumption while readily tucking into other foodstuffs containing high sulphur proportions (e.g. dried fruit). ‘Natural’ wine (i.e. no added sulphur) does exist as a niche category, but it would be impossible to make wine without it on a commercial scale. In terms of this tasting, there were quite a few wines (especially the reds) that showed oxidation, and it must be assumed that some producers are applying unrealistically low sulphur regimes.

In more general terms, it must be recognised that the organic farming movement is at a very early stage in South Africa, and rapid advances can be expected in the next few years as the body of knowledge among practitioners grows. More sustainable farming practices can only be applauded, and the rewarding of wines that are officially certified as being from organically grown grapes should be seen as an effort to raise quality levels and heighten awareness among consumers of the issues.

WHITE WINES
★ ★ ★ ★
Spier Recycle Organic
Sauvignon Blanc 2010
CELLAR PRICE: R70
Alc 13.94% RS 1.7g/TA 6.3g/pH 3.43
Passion fruit and some dustiness on the
nose. The palate is rich and full but not
sweet and possessing a gentle acidity.
Drink now.
CE 15 | GdF 14.5 | MC 17 | AM 16.5 | RS 16

Reyneke Woolworths
Chenin Blanc 2009
(BEST WHITE, BEST OVERALL)
CELLAR PRICE: R124.95
Alc 14% RS 4.4g/TA 4.9g/pH 3.6
Citrus and an attractive leesy character on
the nose. The palate is rich and textured
with good fruit expressions. Slight sweetness
plays off against bright acidity to
good effect. Oxidative style. Drink now–2012.
CE 16 | GdF 17 | MC 16 | AM 16 | RS 17

Reyneke Reserve White 2009
CELLAR PRICE: R150
Alc 13.5% RS 2.5g/TA 6.2g/pH 3.2
Notes of ripe orange, peach and oakderived
vanilla on the nose. The palate
shows excellent fruit expression, fresh
acidity but oak currently much in evidence,
needs time to marry. Drink 2011–2014.
CE 15.5 | GdF 15.5 | MC 16.5 | AM 17.5 | RS 16.5

★ ★ ✩
Stellar Woolworths Organic Swooping
Swallow Sauvignon Blanc 2010* R29.95
Stellar Reserve Semillon 2009* R39.99
Groot Parys Die Tweede Droom Vatgegis
Chenin Blanc 2009 R54
Reyneke Sauvignon Blanc 2009 R80
Bon Cap Viognier 2009 R85

★ ★ ★
Groot Parys Die Tweede Droom Ongehout
Chenin Blanc 2010* R37
Stellar Woolworths Organic Feeding Duck
Chardonnay 2010* R37.95
Groot Parys Die Tweede Droom Spontane
Gisting Chenin Blanc 2010* R39
Greenfi elds Organic Chardonnay Viognier
2010* (Origin) R39.99
Stellar Reserve
Sauvignon Blanc 2009* R39.99
Lazanou Organic Vineyards
Chardonnay 2008 R70
La Motte Pierneef Collection Woolworths
Sauvignon Blanc 2010* R94
La Motte Pierneef Collection Organically
Grown Sauvignon Blanc 2010* R94
Lazanou Organic Vineyards Wooded
Chenin Blanc 2009 R120

★ ★ ✩
Waverley Hills
Semillon Chardonnay 2009* R35

★ ★
Lazanou Organic Vineyards Chardonnay
Chenin Blanc Viognier 2009 R60

★
Sonop Organic Fairtrade Sauvignon Blanc
2010* (African Terroir) R28
Winds of Change Fairtrade Organic
Chardonnay Viognier 2010*
(African Terroir) R28
Lazanou Organic Vineyards Chenin Blanc
Chardonnay Viognier 2010 R70

RED WINES
★ ★ ★ ★   
Reyneke Reserve Red 2007
CELLAR PRICE: R320
Alc 14.38% RS 2.4g/TA 5.4g/pH 3.78
Red fruit, some fynbos and lots of earthy
developed character on the nose. The
palate is rich and dense with good depth
of flavour and firm tannins. Has intriguing
savoury note. Drink now – 2012.
CE 14 | GdF 16 | MC 16 | AM 16.5 | RS 16.5

★ ★ ★ ✩
Laibach Ladybird Red 2009 R85

★ ★ ✩
Bergwater Shiraz 2008* R35
Greenfields Organic Shiraz
Cabernet Sauvignon 2010* (Origin) R39.99
Waverley Hills Cabernet
Sauvignon Merlot 2007 R40
Reyneke Woolworths Capstone Shiraz
Cabernet Sauvignon 2007 R89.95
Lazanou Organic Vineyards Syrah
Mourvèdre 2009 R90
Lazanou Organic Vineyards
Syrah 2008 R120
Org de Rac Shiraz 2009 R55

★ ★
Stellar Organic Woolworths
(No Sulphur Added) Running Duck
Cabernet Sauvignon 2010* R39.95
Stellar Organic Woolworths
(No Sulphur Added) Swooping Falcon
Merlot 2010* R39.95
Greenfi elds Organic Pinotage Merlot
2010* (Origin) R39.99
Woolworths African Terrior Hunting Owl
Organic Shiraz 2010 R42.99
Org de Rac Cabernet Sauvignon 2009 R55
Org de Rac Merlot 2009* R55
Reyneke Cornerstone 2009 R80
Bon Cap The Perfect Blend 2009 R85
Lazanou Organic Vineyards
Syrah 2009 R120

★
Waverley Hills No Added Sulphites
Cabernet Sauvignon 2009* R35
Waverley Hills
Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 R40
Tulbagh Mountain Vineyards Woolworths
Syrah Mouvedre 2006 R190

OTHER WINES
 ★ ★ ★ ★  
Stellar Heaven on Earth
Natural Sweet
CELLAR PRICE: R55.06
Alc 11.59% RS 162.2g/TA 6.3g/pH 3.72
Dried apricot, rooibos and honey on the
nose. Luscious palate with juicy fruit and
soft but sufficient acidity. Drink now -
2013.
CE 16 | GdF 16 | MC 17 | AM 16.5 | RS 16

★ ★ ★
Upland Guinevere Cape Ruby R90
Bon Cap Cap Classique 2006 R110

★ ★ ✩
Rooiberg Woolworths
Sauvignon Blanc Brut R39.95

★ ★
Waverley Hills Rosé 2009* R35
Org de Rac Merlot Rosé 2010 R55
Upland Tandem Cape Ruby R90

PRICES: wines in each quality grouping
are listed in order of ascending price – all
ex-cellar unless otherwise stipulated
* – Bottled under screwcap